Renaming of ‘Nanhi Chhaan’ centres angers Harsimrat

BATHINDA : Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday hit out at the Captain Amarinder Singh government’s decision to rename rural skill development centres for girls named after Nanhi Chhaan, a charitable foundation run by her.

“I request Congress govt in Punjab to focus on development instead of wasting time on putting down the efforts of the SAD- BJP govt. Anti-youth & anti-women mindset of new Congress govt in Punjab clear in the announcement to rename Nanhi Chhaan rural skill development. Punjabis expect the new Congress government to deliver on the promises made to the people instead of resorting to such petty steps,” she said in a series of tweets.

The Shiromani Akali Dal MP, who represents Bathinda in the Lok Sabha, said: “I however will continue to work for skill development and women empowerment through @nanhichhaan.”

Her remarks came as Charanjit Channi, the minister for technical education and industrial training, said the Congress government would be giving a new name to the centres.

“There is no question of letting the centres continue with the name Nanhi Chhaan that is nothing but a bundle of lies by the Badals. It is astonishing how skill development centres started by the government of Punjab were named after a private NGO just to promote Harsimrat Badal,” said Channi.

In a statement, Harsimrat said earlier the Congress minister had announced to shut down Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda. Now, he has announced to rename Nanhi Chhaan rural skill development centers at Salani and Badali Ala Singh villages in Fatehgarh Sahib district.

“The work speaks for itself. I don’t need a certificate from the Congress minister about the work done by the Nanhi Chhaan Foundation. The trust had trained thousands of girls through 80 stitching centres,” said Harsimrat.

A few days before the poll code for the recent Punjab elections was enforced, the first Nanhi Chhaan rural skill development centre was inaugurated at Salani village of Fatehgarh Sahib. Of 25 such centres the previous SADBJP government proposed to open, only two (both in Fatehgarh Sahib villages of Salani and Badali Ala Singh) are now operational.

I request the govt to focus on development instead of wasting time on putting down the efforts of the SAD BJP govt. Renaming Nanhi Chhaan rural skill development centres shows the antiwomen mindset. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL, Union minister